Carb help
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,753
Likes: 5
From: Middletown, CT
Carb help
I had to replace a rotted gas tank, but had already thrown crap through the filter, and the carb. I had a float sticking, so I cleaned the carb up. I am looking now to just replace the carb completely. I have an 86 F150 4.9L auto 4x4. I need some suggestions on what I should go with. I want a little bit of an upgrade, but would be happy with stock performance. Any help you guys could give me would be greatly appreciated.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 55
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I'm ordering a two barrel progressive weber on monday as I have heard these are the next best thing to fuel injection. I have a '80 F-100 with a 300/6 and have been dealing with the crappy rebuilt one barrels for quite a while. I have also heard a holley 390 cfm four barrel works well too. It all depends on what you are planning to build your engine for.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 55
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You can put a two barrel on the stock intake by used a two barrel to one barrel adapter. There's not as much of a performance gain compared to replacing the intake along with the carb. If you do decide to rebuild the one barrel carb check the throttle shaft to make sure it hasn't become loose from wear. If it is you will need to have some bushing installed otherwise the rebuild kit won't do any good. The original issue carbs on these engines were pretty anemic and with even a slight upgrade you can notice an increase in performance. Not trying to sway you one way or the other just trying to provide what I know.
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 352
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From: Palatka, FL
If you want to keep it really simple you can get a 1 barrel off of a 82 or older 300 and bolt it right in place of yours. Since you have an 86 most likely you have the feedback carb and early TFI computer controls. A good friend of mine had an 86 with the feedback carb (feedbacks have wires going to them and throttle position sensors) and we swapped my old non feedback carb onto it off of my 83 F100 and just left the wires for the sensors to the carb unplugged and that truck ran really great. Some people dont like the idea of unhooking sensors and wires but it is an easy way to go back to a good simple reliable carb. You could also always swap in the older duraspark 2 ignition 's distributor and brain box out of the same truck you get the simple carb off off and have the ultimate in simplicity and reliability.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,753
Likes: 5
From: Middletown, CT
Which weber are you going with? And what is the price tag on that? I appreciate all your guys' help. As far as what I am building up my engine for...not really anything. I am pretty much a good ol' boy with an old Ford that I just want to be reliable. I bought the truck for a grand with only 87k miles on it. I am always up for upgrades, but don't always have a ton of cash to throw into it. I am also learning as I go. I would like to upgrade the exhaust at some point, but am having trouble with what will sound best with the straight six. I was looking at flowmasters mufflers. I am just on the edge of the emissions exemption, so I can't ditch the cat yet.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 55
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I'm going with the 32/36 progressive two barrel. It's about $230 for the carb. I'll post how much the total comes out to after Monday when I order it. On that truck I also had a flowmaster exhaust put on it several years ago. It sounds pretty aggressive on the older carbureted typem Fords. Mine has a low pitch gutteral growl compared to the newer v-6's with the raspy sounds they make. Though with a cat it would be a little toned down comparitively.
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Postmaster
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,753
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From: Middletown, CT
Did you have the full exhaust or just the muffler? I was looking at the 50series I think. Any comments regarding the different series mufflers from flowmaster, or any other company for that matter? I like the lower, deep sound...as much as you can get from a straight six anyway. I am definitely curious about the total cost and time on the weber swap. I am also going to do a minor tune up. Any thoughts on importance of brand. I have heard that some of the old ford trucks can be pretty persnickety about anything but motorcraft parts.
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 55
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Well sorry guy's about taking so long getting back I just got my weber and installed it this last weekend. I ended up getting the 38mm synchronous weber instead of the progressive as I would have had to rejet it to work on the 300/6. I ordered a weber kit made for the 258 I-6 Jeep used to make. Weber makes a kit that fits the earlier models with a carter carb very similiar to ours. The kit came with the one barrel adapter, air filter, fuel and PCV valve hose, and pretty much everything needed for $360. So far I'm getting about the same gas mileage, but with much much more power. My truck no longer suffers from vacuum leaks, hesistation, and it starts up with barely any effort even while cold. The engine bay even looks cleaner! All in all I am very impressed and wish I would have done this long ago. I highly recommend this kit especially since everything fit like a charm without any engineering, other than the PCV valve hose (wrong size supplied). Anyways sorry about the long post!!!
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 6,477
Likes: 19
From: Sheffield, AL
Thanks for the update, budford. So you were able to install without major modifications or having to rejet? What about the throttle cable? What type of choke [electric or manual]? From whom did you purchase the kit?
Cross-Country
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 55
Likes: 0
The carb installed with no modifications other than it got rid of the egr setup as well as most of the useless vacuum lines to run all of that stuff. So far I have not had to re-jet the carb, but I need to pull the plugs and check their color to be sure I've got everythin adjusted properly. The carb came with the ball and socket type connector for the throttle cable that the carter carb used. The choke is electric and it uses the same wire connector thats already there. I bought the kit from weber carbs direct (first link that pops up after doing a google search for "weber carburetors". Part number is wk550-38. They also have the progressive carb with a kit that will probably work, but my inner teenager got the best of me so I bought the syncronous. 
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,856
Likes: 1
From: Lebanon
If you want to keep it really simple you can get a 1 barrel off of a 82 or older 300 and bolt it right in place of yours. Since you have an 86 most likely you have the feedback carb and early TFI computer controls. A good friend of mine had an 86 with the feedback carb (feedbacks have wires going to them and throttle position sensors) and we swapped my old non feedback carb onto it off of my 83 F100 and just left the wires for the sensors to the carb unplugged and that truck ran really great. Some people dont like the idea of unhooking sensors and wires but it is an easy way to go back to a good simple reliable carb. You could also always swap in the older duraspark 2 ignition 's distributor and brain box out of the same truck you get the simple carb off off and have the ultimate in simplicity and reliability.
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 175
Likes: 2
The carb installed with no modifications other than it got rid of the egr setup as well as most of the useless vacuum lines to run all of that stuff. So far I have not had to re-jet the carb, but I need to pull the plugs and check their color to be sure I've got everythin adjusted properly. The carb came with the ball and socket type connector for the throttle cable that the carter carb used. The choke is electric and it uses the same wire connector thats already there. I bought the kit from weber carbs direct (first link that pops up after doing a google search for "weber carburetors". Part number is wk550-38. They also have the progressive carb with a kit that will probably work, but my inner teenager got the best of me so I bought the syncronous.